Pharmacoeconomic evaluation of clopidogrel in acute coronary syndromes. long-term treatment, secondary prophylaxis, and percutaneous coronary intervention

Clopidogrel, a thienopyridine antiplatelet agent, is an adenosine diphosphate (ADP) receptor antagonist. Clopidogrel inhibits ADP binding to its platelet receptor and subsequent ADP-mediated activation of the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa complex, thus inhibiting platelet aggregation. Clopidogrel irreversibly modifies the ADP receptor so platelets are affected for the remainder of their life span. The treatment of acute coronary syndromes consists of an inpatient diagnosis and inpatient treatment usually done in an emergency room and intensive care unit and a long-term secondary prophylaxis of the underlying condition, coronary artery disease. Therefore, efficacy of different treatments and their implication on costs have to be examined over a long time period. The cost perspective (hospital, society, country) is another important point. In each country different charges for drugs, medical procedures and hospitalization are existing; varying drug costs may result in a more or less cost-effective ratio of a treatment. Furthermore, not only direct medical costs, but also implications on indirect costs should be taken into account when measuring cost-effectiveness of treatments. Worldwide, cardiovascular diseases account for a significant burden of hospital and societal costs. In particular for colleagues running their own private practice, cost-consciousness has become important in recent times. On the other hand, there has to be carried the duty to accord patients the best possible treatment. This - against the background of ethical responsibility, physicians can come into a conflict continues to require cost-effectiveness studies in the future. By means of the set-forth results configurations can be seen in which clopidogrel has both, a benefit on the medical and on the economic side of view. From most of the quoted analyses application of clopidogrel was warrantable and the scope of costs within the amount of established cardiovascular therapies.